Codeine and Alcohol Interaction: A Life-Threatening Combination

In recent years, there has been a significant growth in the rate of addiction, with people getting more creative in this aspect. This creativity is mostly noticed in teenagers who try out weird combinations for fun and just get hooked on it. One such popular one is mixing Codeine and alcohol for that extra kick, as they say. Well, they do not understand that the fun they are getting would just return to back to them in the form of severe health issues. So, in this blog, we will address all of those health risks associated with mixing Codeine and Alcohol.

Let’s have a quick overview of Codeine and alcohol.

Overview of Codeine

This drug belongs to the family of opioids and is useful for treating pain, cough, and diarrhea. Codeine acts on the central nervous system to provide us with relief. The available formulations must be taken as a whole by mouth and mustn’t be chewed or crushed. You must use Codeine very carefully because this is a highly potent substance and can cause dependency, which would ultimately lead to addiction.

Individuals who must avoid Codeine are:

• Children under 12 years of age
• Having severe asthma
• Breastfeeding women
• Having liver or kidney disease

Street Names of Codeine

Street names are the altered names of a drug, which individuals use for illegal purposes. This is done to avoid getting caught in the act of selling or buying drugs illegally. Similarly, Codeine also has certain altered names to it, which are used as a form of communication between seller and buyer.

The street names of Codeine are:

• Captain Cody
• Cody
• Schoolboy
• Loads
• Pancakes and Syrup
• Sizzurp
• Texas Tea
• Purple Drank
• Dirty Sprite
• Lean

Effects of Alcohol

The sole reason behind the consumption of alcohol is to provide relaxation by calming the body and mind. We are all aware of how dangerous it can be to overconsume this substance, which would ultimately lead to addiction along with several other health risks. Alcohol works in the body by first travelling to the brain and there acting as a sedative, which ultimately slows down all body activities. During this process, a chemical Dopamine is released in the body, which provides a sensation of momentary pleasure by calming their body and mind. This is also the primary reason why people tend to consume alcohol after a tiring day of work or when they want to relax. Although it’s okay to consume it in certain limits but excess consumption can be very harmful.

Codeine and Alcohol: A Dangerous Combination

After seeing various Codeine and Alcohol side effects, we can say that each of them is pretty harmful for our body on an individual level. So, if a person is combining both of these, then the sedative power of both drugs gets doubled. Such toxic mixtures are often termed as polysubstances, and their consumption can be fatal enough to cost your life.

What Happens If You Mix Codeine and Alcohol?

The mixture of Codeine and Alcohol boosts the production of Dopamine, which plays a major role in providing a great sense of satisfaction and relief. This feeling is a temporary source of relief, and the individual usually gets back to their original state once they are out of the effect. So, is it safe to mix Codeine and Alcohol? No, it isn’t safe at all and is quite harmful for the body. Regular consumption of both of these can result in addiction and internal organ damage, which can’t be reversed.

Side Effects Of Mixing Codeine and Alcohol

We have already seen how dangerous codeine and alcohol interaction can be. So, let’s discuss all the side effects that occur in our bodies as a result of this mixture.

Overdosing

Consuming this toxic mixture daily can cause overdosing on the mixture, which would increase your tolerance level, making you addicted. Later, when you try to quit the intake, you will face severe withdrawal symptoms, which will be very overwhelming.

Damage Of The Liver

Excess alcohol consumption can be harmful to the liver because it results in the accumulation of fats, which leads to inflammation. Due to the condition of fatty liver, the oxygen supply to it gets reduced abruptly, which can lead to death. This also gives rise to several other liver conditions, such as:

• Steatosis
• Cirrhosis
• Liver cancer
• Fibrosis

Cardiovascular Issue

Excess intake of alcohol opens the path to a wide variety of heart issues. It gives rise to issues like high blood pressure and stroke due to the decrease in blood supply to it. The fats present in the alcohol also contribute to obesity and make the heart weak.

Effect On The Brain

The excess release of the chemical dopamine is very harmful to our bodies. Since this chemical is responsible for slowing down the brain’s activities so excess release of it might put the individual in a coma. There are also several other health risks associated with it, such as:
increase in anxiety issues

• Production of dopamine starts to decrease gradually
• Depression
• Digestive issues
• Memory problems
• Hallucination
• Confusion

How To Deal With Addiction?

If all the symptoms enhance and start interfering with your daily life, then it’s important to take immediate action to prevent further damage. These symptoms are signs from your body that you need to stop taking this toxic mixture and start to focus on the healing process.

Let’s look into all those steps:

Joning Rehabilitation Centre

These centres provide support and help to the patients by offering various therapies and medication. These can be your first choice, so that you won’t feel lonely throughout your treatment procedures. Some of the rehab centres are fully sponsored by the government and hence are completely free. These centres can build back your confidence so that you can start living a normal life.

Medications

There are various drug options available, which are extremely helpful for patients suffering from severe addiction and who require immediate treatment. The drugs such as Buprenorphine, Methadone, Vivitrol, and Naltrexone are given to people seeking immediate help. These drugs reduce the urge to consume any addictive substance and hence reduce the tolerance level slowly.

Conclusion

We hope that you are clear about your query, is Codeine and alcohol dangerous after understanding all the dangerous aspects behind it. If you are already taking it or thinking of trying it for fun, then our best recommendation would be to never do any such things. Consult with the doctor immediately if you are trying to stop the intake or if you are facing any withdrawal symptoms.